Seeing is More than Believing in Teacher PD (Getting Smart)

One of our coaches used the time-stamped video to focus on the teacher’s classroom management technique, specifically the transition time between the ringing of the class bell and the moment that learners actually got to work. Together, they used the video to capture evidence of student behavior, and then they used the time-stamping feature in Edthena to measure it. Together, the coach and the teacher worked to increase classroom instructional time and illuminate what student engagement looks like.

We also documented a case in which a teacher’s reflection after a classroom observation raised questions about her ratio of positive interactions with students. She thought she was providing a high ratio of positive interactions, but she couldn’t recall concrete examples. So the coach invited the teacher to video her instruction and note the positive engagements on her own. Even before the coach returned the following week, the teacher set a goal for herself of a 5:1 ratio—five positive student interactions each day for every negative one—and began changing her practice. There’s power in seeing live video action.

The fact that the online video coaching accelerated the pace of the PD cycle even before the coach returned to the classroom was an important discovery for our coaches. Our teachers no longer had to wait until the next scheduled coaching conversation to reflect or plan a new goal.

Read more at http://gettingsmart.com/2016/06/seeing-believing-teacher-pd/

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